Page 41 of The Road to Hell

“Security has always been tight,” the netheron argued. “Stop running your mouth before I shut it permanently.”

“I’m telling you!” the vexori snapped, “something’s changed. More patrols, more guards, and they’ve sealed the Grand Hall off. No one gets near it. I heard?—”

The netheron stepped closer, his face only millimeters from the vexori. “I’m sick of you spouting your shit. Shut. Your. Mouth.”

With a snarl, the netheron turned, about to head in our direction when the vexori shouted, “Even if there’s talk thatshe’sback?”

The whole market froze, including the netheron.

“Oh, so youhaven’theard that part?” the vexori pressed, its elongated claws clicking on the hardened ground as it strode toward the netheron. “Word’s spreading. Some say Lily’s back and Lucifer’s on edge.”

Huh. That was interesting. I’d only returned to Hell about a day ago, and already I was the main topic of discussion? Guess hellspawn really did gossip like highschoolers.

The netheron scoffed but turned and stared at the vexori. “She’s dead. Been dead for ten years. Lucifer hung her corpse up in the Grand Hall for all to see.”

Oof—well, that was a little hard to hear. Clearly, it wasn’tmybody strung up in the Grand Hall, but the image the netheron painted unsettled me. My father had issues, that was for sure.

“Then why are they tightening security now?” The vexori tilted his head. “Think about it. If she was actually dead, there’d be nothing to guard against.”

The netheron hesitated. “Even if she did come back, she’d be a fool to set foot in Hell.”

Ah, the perfect opening, if ever I’d heard one.

I met Rathiel’s gaze. He said nothing, but I caught the subtle change in his position, the way his hand inched toward his weapon. He knew exactly what I was about to do. We needed to fight some hellspawn, right? Here was the perfect opportunity. And if word was already spreading about me, then why bother continue hiding?

Eliza, on the other hand, let out a quiet groan. “We’re really doing this?”

I just grinned—honestly, this was the sort of thing I lived for. I’d grown up fighting hellspawn. For me, it was like a really violent hobby.

Without hesitation, I handed Purrgy’s carrier to Eliza, then stepped forward and pushed my hood back. “Well, shit. Guess I’m a fool then.”

Every single hellspawn in the market went dead silent.

The netheron’s head snapped toward me so fast I thought he might give himself whiplash. His slitted golden eyes widened as he took in my face, my stance, the way I stood there with my arms crossed like I hadn’t just dropped the biggest bombshell ever.

The vexori let out a wild, jittery laugh. “Oh, this is good. This is real good.”

Whispers. Gasps. A ripple of movement as hellspawn either backed away or surged forward for a better look.

Some faces twisted in disbelief. Others, those lower in the hierarchy, looked upon me in sheer, unfiltered terror. But most looked hungry. Like they were itching for a fight.

The netheron recovered quickly. His lips curled back, exposing razor-sharp teeth, his golden eyes narrowed into slits of pure malice. He took a step toward me, broad shoulders rolling, claws twitching at his sides.

“Well, well.” His voice was a low rasp, thick with venom. “Guess some rumors are true after all.”

I tilted my head. “Which ones? The ones that say I’m dead, or the ones that say I’m an idiot for coming back?”

The netheron let out a low, guttural chuckle. “Both.”

One of the sanguinari at the farthest edge of the market licked her lips, watching me with a hunger gleam in her eyes. “I wonder what she bleeds like,” she mused aloud. “Celestial? Or infernal?”

“I’d be happy to show you,” I said flatly. “Come closer and find out.”

The netheron’s grin widened. “Look at you, all bold. Think you can walk in here and demand respect?” He spat onto the ground, embers hissing against the stone. “You’re nothing but a ghost,arelic from a failed war. And we don’t respect the dead.”

Oh, I liked him, and this was going to be so much fun. He was just cocky enough to not realize he was about to get his ass handed to him.

I drew both swords—Inferno’s Kiss in my right hand and Shadow’s Embrace in my left—and spun them once in tandem, adjusting my grip.

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